I was on a Facebook clock collector page recently and I was intrigued by the work someone had done on a clock that was surely destined for the garbage bin. The transformation was given an apt phrase, “Trash to Treasure” and so I thought I would write about my own experiences resurrecting old clocks.
Preserving the original patina is always the principle goal and I do as much as I can to keep things as they are. However, when the finish has been adversely affected by environmental damage, heat, cold, humidity over the course of many years, as in a couple of examples below, the only course of action is refinishing.
There are times when the only course of action is complete restoration
The problem; a run-on strike. The solution; remove the movement, poke around looking for the cause, find it almost immediately and apply a quick fix.
The story
My winter (2017) project was an antique German Junghans Crispi time and strike spring driven wall clock made in the style of a Vienna Regulator. It was manufactured in Schwenningen, Germany in 1899. It came to me as a box of parts. I put hours of work into this project so a malfunctioning movement was a bit of a disappointment.
When I originally disassembled the movement for servicing I made two errors. In my attempt to correct a bent star wheel paddle, I managed to snap it off.
Strike paddle
However, I also managed to snap off the paddle wheel arbor spring which is essentially a thin steel wire which maintains paddle tension during the strike. At the time I did not have the right tools to repair the break. Hmm! After a professional servicing, all is right.
Return spring that had become loose after two years (first photos taken of the movement)
Fast forward to 2019
Now, two years later the strike side decided to malfunction. It was striking incessantly. I decided to check out the problem. I took the movement out of the case, removed the clock face and immediately noticed that the strike tension wire had wiggled out of the arbor so that nothing prevented the paddle from stopping, hence the run-on strike. As I mentioned this was one of the repairs made on the clock when it was professionally serviced.
The solution is Loctite. Some purists will scoff but I believe there is place for modern materials in clock repair so long as the repair is functional and discreet. I positioned the spring correctly and applied Loctite where the wire runs into the paddle arbour and allowed it to dry for 24 hours.
After the repair the clock is striking as it should. However, it took me a couple of days to find the correct beat. For some reason this clock must be absolutely level to function correctly. If it is off by just a smidgen it will not run. Anyway, everything is fine now.
On March 10th Daylight Savings Time began at 3:00am in Canada. Over 100 years ago on July 1, 1908, the residents of Port Arthur, Ontario, today’s Thunder Bay, turned their clocks forward by 1 hour to start the world’s first DST period.
Spring ahead, Fall behind
In Canada we refer to it as Daylight Saving Time (DST); the British call it “British Summer Time” and “summertime” in other areas. It is the practice of advancing clocks during summer months so that evening daylight lasts longer while sacrificing normal sunrise times. Typically, regions that use daylight saving time adjust clocks forward one hour close to the start of spring and adjust them backward in the autumn to standard time. We have a little expression, “Spring ahead, Fall behind” to make it easy to remember what to do twice a year. In Canada, it is the second Sunday in March and the first Sunday in November.
Junghans Crispi time and strike wall clock
There is a constant dispute about the benefits and drawbacks. Proponents say that it conserves energy and has a psychological benefit of extending the daylight hours. Opponents say that the energy arguments are inconclusive.
Regardless, people must remember to change their clocks. It is a time-consuming exercise, particularly for those owners of antique and vintage mechanical clocks that cannot be moved backward safely though obviously moving 1-hour forward is much simpler.
Arthur Pequegnat Moncton wall clock
But why go through this nonsense; let’s just get rid of DST! I advocate a move to “permanent daylight saving time” that is, staying on summer hours all year with no time shifts. My mechanical clocks will appreciate it and yours will too!
It has taken me 6 years to assemble my collection of antique and vintage clocks. Although I have many clocks, wall clocks are my particular favorites. Check out my collection of antique and vintage wall clocks in this YouTube video I made in January 2019.
I have always had a fascination with clocks. As a young boy I can remember the schoolhouse clock in my grandparents’ kitchen and the ticking sound it would make that echoed through the entire house.
Seth Thomas Adamantine time and strike mantel clock, circa 1913
We all have busy lives and despite my interest in clocks over the years it was not until the year 2000 that I started building my collection, first with a Seth Thomas Adamantine clock and later with more mantel clocks, wall clocks and finally a grandfather clock in 2012. My collection has expanded to include virtually every style of clock though my interest lies specifically with American and European wall and shelf clocks. As I write there are about 35 clocks ticking away in my home.
In my blog I stress that I am not a trained horologist but have accumulated enough knowledge over the years that I feel capable of addressing general clock issues
Clock repair came a little later. I began with general understanding of the cleaning and oiling of clock movements in order to keep my little collection running. As I acquired clock repair tools and equipment I progressed to servicing pinions, bushings, verge repairs, cleaning of mainsprings and case restoration.
In 2015 I decided to write a blog about collecting and servicing vintage and antique clocks. There are some excellent clock blogs but many are commercial sites or professional horologists selling their services. I decided to design a blog that would appeal to the amateur clock collector/repairer. In my blog I stress that I am not a trained horologist but have accumulated enough knowledge over the years that I feel capable of addressing general clock issues. Therefore, my blog is not aimed at the professional repairer or restoration expert but the individual looking for specific information about a certain clock, those who have a particular problem with their clock and finally those who have a general interest in clock collecting and repair.
Fully restored Junghans time and strike wall clock, circa 1899Time and strike movement on a test stand after servicing
I publish an average of seven blog articles per month on a variety of clock topics. I appeal to a wide change of subjects; some articles have a philosophical perspective, some detail the challenges of working on a specific clock, some present simple repair techniques for the beginner, general maintenance tips as well as articles of general interest. As a history buff I try to include a background history or provenance of the specific clock I am profiling or information about its maker.
A micrometer is used to size a bushing for an escape wheel pivot
Blogging has also allowed me to combine my other interests, that of photography and traveling. My wife and I have had many interesting adventures seeking out unique clocks for my collection.
Antique and vintage clocks evoke a time when life was simpler than the hectic times we live in today. Those nostalgic times when the things we bought and cherished were living memories of people and places that are gone but not forgotten. Antique clocks should be passed down from one generation to the next. Judging from the online marketplaces unfortunately many are not handed from father to son at all as so many have left their original owners. Is sentimentality lost on this generation?
Two such clocks have a story
Not including the the nine clocks I have in my home office there are 35 clocks displayed throughout our home. It saddens me to think that for many of my clocks I know absolutely nothing about them though I wish they all could talk. What stories they could tell.
Two such clocks have a story.
One of my clocks survived the Halifax Explosion in 1917. I know this because the people I bought it from had the clock in their family for over 100 years. It was certainly not in the condition you see here. It was a box of parts and I imagine they felt they had held onto it long enough and it was time to let it go. After I restored the clock I called back the previous owner and told him what I had done with the clock and would I kindly send him a photo of it restored to its former glory. I did and heard nothing afterwards. Sellers remorse, perhaps. I often look at the clock and try to imagine that fateful day when it fell of the wall in a modest home in North Halifax on December 6, 1917.
Junghans Crispi wall clock
Story number two. You have to feel something for some of the previous owners. This Ingraham Huron shelf clock (circa 1878) is a real gem and fairly rare, you just do not see it come up for sale very often. Some would call it a balloon clock. It was bought in a little village outside Bridgewater, Nova Scotia. My wife and I are about 2 hours away and we decided to make a trip out of getting the clock, having lunch nearby and doing a little shopping.
Do you know anyone who wants Jeff Gordon memorabilia?
Rare Ingraham Huron found on a local online for-sale site
We arrived at the sellers home, a modest nondescript bungalow. I was greeted at the door by an elderly couple. They had previously told me on the phone a day earlier that after consultation with their son they had decided on a fixed price for the clock and the price seemed very fair to us.
I asked how long they had the clock and the gentlemen who I would say was in his early seventies said that he could remember the clock in this grandmother’s home when he was quite young. He extended his hand palm down to about a meter from the floor and said, “I was this tall when I can first remember it in my grandmother’s home”. After a conversation with the couple I had discovered that they were parting ways, an amicable separation it seemed and the wife had decided to live in an apartment minutes away in Bridgewater. The husband was left with the home and his workshop in the back of the property. “He spends a lot of time out there anyway and besides, we need to get rid of stuff”. “Do you know anyone who wants Jeff Gordon memorabilia?” “No”, I said and left with the clock. It is sad that they had to part with such a memory but people change.
Seth Thomas column and cornice “Empire” style time and strike shelf clock
I guess sentimentality has a dollar value or people live with things so long that they eventually tire of having them. Deciding to get rid of things is about relieving yourself of all the stuff you’re hanging onto from past relationships and past memories. Secondly, our desire to hold onto piles and piles of old mementos can often be blamed on nostalgia. That’s because reminiscing about the past makes us feel good. It can lead to increased feelings of familial or social connectedness. If I have an old clock, looking at it can elicit positive emotions. Or, perhaps it was not an especially happy memory and getting rid of it expunges that memory.
I often wonder what will happen to my collection when I meet my fellow clock-makers in the sky. My wife knows that I have no real attachment to some of my clocks since I merely purchased them to learn how to repair them and to grow my hobby. Yes, you can have too many mantel clocks!
However, there are about ten clocks in my collection that I hope will be passed down to my kids. My four Arthur Pequegnats, two Vienna regulators, a Seth Thomas Empire style clock, my Sessions Beveled No. 2, my Ingraham Huron shelf clock and my Junghans Crispi wall clock. For some I appreciate their history and admire the folks who had them and for others they have become sentimental attachments because I spent so much time restoring them.
Halifax (Nova Scotia, Canada) was devastated on 6 December 1917 when two ships collided in the city’s harbour.
Taken from the Dartmouth sideResults of the deadly blast
Today marks the 100th anniversary of the Halifax Explosion.
On Dec. 6, 1917, the Belgian relief ship Imo rammed into the French munitions vessel Mont-Blanc, which was carrying TNT through the narrowest part of Halifax harbour. A fire on board the French ship ignited her cargo, causing a devastating explosion. The Mont-Blancexploded at 9:04:35 a.m., sending out a shock wave in all directions, followed by a tsunami that washed violently over the Halifax and Dartmouth shores. More than 2.5 square km of Richmond were totally levelled, either by the blast, the tsunami, or the structure fires caused when buildings collapsed inward on lanterns, stoves and furnaces.
Two thousand people were killed in the Halifax Explosion and another 9,000 were injured. The explosion is the worst man-made disaster in Canadian history.
Seconds later a Junghans Crispi wall clock fell off a wall in a house on Princess court, North End Halifax. The following is the story of that clock.
I bought the remains of the clock from a gentleman in Halifax who related the story of how this clock was passed down to him through his wife’s family. It was important to him that someone who had a love and an appreciation of old clocks should continue with the restoration after he had rebuilt the frame some 30 years ago.
Thus began the six month journey of restoring the clock to its former glory. During the restoration I was able to obtain an old catalog image (supplied by a member of NAWCC) to guide me through the rebuilding process. Some of the smaller trim pieces were missing and because they are impossible to locate they had to be either purchased from a clock supply house or handcrafted.
How the clock came to meFour Junghans clocks, the Cripi is second from the leftJunghans Crispi wall clock
It is now a wonderful tribute to that terrible tragedy on December 6, 1917.
While at an antique store in Kazabazua, Quebec my wife made an offer on one of these two carriage clocks. The other clock was found at an antique barn just outside of Campbell’s Bay, Quebec, literally an hour’s drive apart and about a week between the two purchases.
I was surprised to find two seemingly identical clocks not far from each other. At first I thought they were identical.
German versus Italian made carriage clocks
The one immediate difference is readily apparent. The dial on the left has Arabic numerals whereas the one on the right has Roman Numerals. They have similar dimensions but if you look closely the bases are not the same height. Both are alarm clocks. Both have a “second” hand at the top and a set-time indicator at the bottom section of the dial. Both have seemingly identical carriage style cases made of very similar materials. Both I believe, are 30 hour clocks. There is an access panel on the back of each clock for winding and adjusting. However, that is where their similarities end.
Musical alarm on the left and bell strike on the rightMusical versus bell strike
I would estimate that they were both made sometime after the First War
The one on the right is made by Junghans or Kienzle, both German clock companies with long and illustrious histories. I tried comparing the plate design and dimensions to a database found here and the closest I could find was Kienzle. However, it is also very similar to Junghans “Joker” style clocks that I have seen for sale on EBay. At one time (around 1905) Junghans had a branch in Venice (Italy) likely a delivery depot for clocks made in Germany. But it is also possible that some assembly may have been done there hence, no definitive markings. I would estimate that they were both made sometime after the First War.
Side viewsBack access panels
The one on the right is made by an Italian maker, Fratelli Borletti. Fratelli Borletti was the only clock factory in Italy prior to WWI and produced only alarm clocks. Fratelli Borletti was later renamed “Veglia Borletti” and produced many car instruments for Fiat, Lancia, Daimler and so on. Today, Veglia Borletti belongs to Magneti Marelli.
The Junghans or Kienzle clock is a musical alarm clock while the Fratelli Borletti clock has a bell type alarm with a striker, though the striker on this particular clock is missing.
One (the musical alarm clock) is working and remarkably clean, the other needs a lot of work. Two very unusual clocks found not far from each other.
There is a peculiar phenomena happening in the clock world today and that is tumbling clock prices. French cartelle clocks, American jewelers regulators, original E. Howard and Willard banjo clocks to name a few have retained their value but clocks that would have sold for hundreds of dollars a few short years ago can be had for almost nothing today. It is not a great sellers market.
Rare Ingraham Huron shelf clock was once sought after by collectors
Prices will not rise any time soon as modern generations have been conditioned to discarding old for new irrespective of merit and in contradiction to the ideology that recycling saves the planet
Why are clock prices so low?
I have acquired some very nice clocks for ridiculously low prices. While it is part luck there is ample evidence that recent clock prices have never been lower.
There are so many clocks that no one seems to want. Gingerbreads, school house clocks, mantel clocks, Ogees (30 hour or one-day especially), calendar clocks and most garden variety clocks go for very low prices. Good for collectors, not so good for sellers. Prices will not rise any time soon as modern generations have been conditioned to discarding old for new irrespective of merit and in contradiction to the ideology that recycling saves the planet.
Millennials are also facing a very different world than I and my contemporaries faced. Factory work or clerical positions are now considered a good job and young people are staying with mom and dad living in their old rooms as they try to pay off mortgage size student loans. Under those circumstances you will not consider buying a tall case clock or an 18th century French clock.
Thanks but I have no place to put one
My generation (I am in my 60s) did not typically have mechanical clocks in their homes (aside from Grandfather and cuckoo clocks), so younger people today do not have those kind of memories to inspire nostalgia. In my day mechanical clocks were thrown in the trash when they wore out to make way for the electric clock. For young people today the old clocks we loved are not in their sights for purchase. An offer to gift a clock to a millennial is often met with the reply, “Thanks but I have no place to put one” and of course, winding it is always a hassle. A visit to any antique store or clock fair says it all when observations show the average age of visitors and traders are often in their “senior” years.
Junghans Crispi wall clock, not rare but a fascinating history
Prices of clocks really did not begin their rise in value (at least in North America) until the mid to late ’50’s. Since then and up until the late nineties many ordinary clocks commanded high prices. Since the year 2000, the economy has been spiraling downward. Paralleling the declining economy is the decline of prices for antiques of all types. The at-times spectacular and troubling declines in real estate values, increasing unemployment and fewer discretionary dollars have all had an deleterious effect on dropping clock values. With the up-tick in the economy perhaps things will change
I collect clocks and other antiques for interest and history alone
I collect clocks and other antiques for interest alone and only those I can afford which often means that I will try to buy a clock for as little as possible. Collecting in this way allows me the comfort in knowing that there is no worry about future rises or drops in value. I acquire clocks simply because I want them, and pay a price that is worth it to me. If I see something that I do not have, it is unique or has some historical value and it is a reasonable price (to me), I will buy it.
However, many of us collectors are aging and downsizing. Few are in buying mode and many want to sell. The result is a glut of often lesser quality clocks that were once bought at higher prices.
French mantel clock, a very nice clock at a ridiculously low price
Unless you are prepared to learn how to repair or somehow care for an old mechanical clock you are faced with the prospect that the cost of repair far exceeds the value of the clock. Sentimental reasons always trump repair costs but the message from the clock repair person with integrity is clear, “keep it, it is not worth the cost of repairing”.
Will prices get better? Prices for antiques and collectibles is cyclical and chances are that they will go up again.
Regular reader and contributor JC suggested a few more clock terms I thought readers and fellow horologists might find interesting.
My source for this article is the Watch and Clock Encyclopedia by Donald de Clarke, published by Bonanza Books (1984) which is still available on Amazon.
Gridiron pendulum: A pendulum consisting of alternating steels and brass rods coupled together to compensate for downward expansion so that the centre of oscillation of the pendulum remains consistent with changes in temperature, invented by John Harrison in 1725.
Gridiron pendulum on a Junghans Crispi wall clock
Broaches: To broach is to open and enlarge a hole. A Broach is a steel cutting or smoothing tool with a tapered or parallel sided edge used to cut or “finish” holes in a clock plate. Used to enlarge and then finish (smooth) a newly installed bushing on a clock plate.
A set of Swiss made smoothing (or finishing) broaches
Motion Works: The train or wheels of a clock directly connected with the hour and minute hand.
Great wheel: The teeth that form part of the barrel of the going barrel. It is also the wheel to which the mainspring is attached.
The motion works of a clock; the largest wheel on this movement is the great wheel (Pequegnat Clock Co.)
Maintaining Power: A method to maintain the driving power while the weight is being lifted or mainspring with fusee is being wound. In effect keeping the mechanism going while winding.
Weight driven movement with maintaining power, (unmarked Vienna Regulator)
Huygens Endless Rope Drive: It is a method of providing maintaining power to drive the clock while the weight was being raised. The endless cord passes over pulley A which is attached to the great wheel and supports the driving weight B, it then passes over pulley C which has a ratchet to support small weight D. As cord E is pulled down to wind the clock ratchet C turns under it’s click to raise weight B which continues to drive the clock as it supplies torque to wheel A. This ingenious system is found in some 18th century long-case clocks.
Huygens endless rope
Locking Wheel (or Count Wheel): A count wheel is the wheel that determines the number of blows to be struck in striking mechanisms.
The left wheel with notches is the count wheel
Ratchet wheel: A toothed wheel into which a click engages permitting the wheel to revolve in one direction only.
Toothed ratchet wheel and click
Cam: Usually a disk so that upon revolving it transmits movement to or exerts pressure upon a connecting unit.
Arrow showing location of a cam, the fly is located in the upper right
Fly: Often called the governor or controller of a chime or strike train. It is the last piece in a train of wheels.
The language of the clock world always amazes me. There are a plethora of other clock terms that I will be happy to explore in future blogs.
Hobbies are a great way of finding comfort through stepping off the roller coaster of life
In this increasingly complex and chaotic world where many of us seek ways of exploring constructive activities & pastimes a hobby is one such escape. Hobbies are a great way of finding comfort, stepping off the roller coaster of life and rising to the surface after seeming to drown in life’s problems. A hobby allows one to disconnect briefly or longer from the social media universe that seems to consume us every day. Pursuing and maintaining a hobby, whether it is for casual leisure or serious pursuit, is a regular activity that should be done for pure enjoyment. It is healthy for mind, body and soul!
The more you know, the more you grow
There are 9 Reasons why clock collecting/repair hobby works for me and might even work for you.
I meet people. This hobby requires that I come into contact with other people when I purchase clocks, have clocks repaired or ask for advice.
A clock repair shop in Nova Scotia
Builds my self-esteem. Developing and maintaining a clock hobby is important because the small successes I have from day to day or week to week are enough to sustain me while other pressures are occurring in my life and it is the one solid thing to feel good about. It gives me renewed energy to tackle other challenges in life.
Avoid boredom. I have zero scientific evidence of this but I really believe that boredom is responsible for a lot of society’s ills and destructive behaviours. How many people come home after a challenging work day to watch TV for hours on end when they could be doing something constructive and rewarding?
My Hobby is a point of connection with other people. It gives me common ground with a small, select portion of the population, the people who collect, repair antique and vintage clocks, the people who share my passion. They are from all over the world. Every week I get inquiries from clock enthusiasts from all corners of the earth asking for advice on their particular clock.
Clock collecting enriches my perspective. I remember an old adage: “The more you know, the more you grow”. Any opportunity to learn something new, to be challenged anew, is great for character-building by seeing the world through refreshed eyes. Clock collecting and repair helps me differentiate myself from others and provides me with key examples of where I have overcome adversity or tackled a difficult situation and emerged on the other side.
It keeps me stay youthful. Establishing and maintaining a hobby is a very healthy habit to form for later years. Hobbies are excellent for brain health especially if you are looking for something to stave off cognitive decline. The older you get the more trouble you will have struggling to fill your time with meaningful activities. Starting a hobby early in life pays dividends in the long run, much like an interest bearing investment.
Clock collecting combines with other interests. Photography and traveling are two other interests in my life. Blog writing is another, of course. This hobby allows me to combine all of those interests and as a side benefit my wife, who is also my travel partner and clock locator, encourages me every day.
My hobby makes me interesting. At a party, you can only talk about your occupation or your grandchild for so long before people’s eyes begin to glaze. But if I mention that I have a clock that fell off a wall during the Halifax Explosion, a clock that hung in a railway station near where I live, a rare clock I bought for almost nothing, their ears perk up.
Pictou rail station clock, Arthur Pequegnat, Canadian Time circa 1930
A way to relieve stress. My hobby provides stress relief simply because it is an oasis from the rest of my life. You can immerse yourself in a totally different world when you are focused on getting that darned strike side to work correctly on a troublesome clock movement.
Okay maybe clock collecting and repair is not a hobby for you but you can insert whatever hobby you wish to have or already have and I'll bet the 9 reasons above are pretty much on your list.
My current project is an antique German Junghans time and strike spring driven wall clock made in the style of a Vienna Regulator. It was made in Schwenningen, Germany. It came to me as a box of parts. To some a box of clock parts and pieces is discouraging but to me it is a challenge.
This is Part 3.5 of a now three point five part series on my newly acquired Junghans Crispi wall clock.
This is Part III and a half of a series on my newly acquired Junghans Crispi wall clock. In Part I described the circumstances by which I came across this clock and it’s incredible story as a survivor of the Halifax Explosion on Dec 6, 1917. In Part II I walk the reader through the servicing of the time and strike movement. In Part III I talk about the challenges of restoring the case.
I felt compelled to write Part 3.5 of the series showing the work I completed on the crown and the additional case work. I wasn’t sure how far I would go in restoring the case but the top finials are so essential to the final look of the clock that I decided to add these important elements.
The original finials might have been a little taller and wider much like the bottom centre finial
I bought three 3 and 3/4 inch finials from Timesavers. A wood lathe would have been ideal if I had one. I tried to imagine how the original finials looked and took a chance on what I felt were the most ornate without being too ostentatious. I believe they do it justice and complete the clock. The original finials might have been a little taller and wider much like the bottom centre finial but Timesavers has a rather limited selection. If I come across something closer in design in the future I can simply pull these out since they are not glued in place.
Support post for middle finial
As you can see above, I have clamped the final bases to the crown and test fit the three top finials which had just been given their first coat of stain. The support post is made of oak and anchors the crown to the case. It will eventually be screwed in place. The post not only attaches the crown to the top of the case but also supports the middle finial base (next photo).
Test fitting the top finial
The lion’s head on the crown has also been nailed in place using its existing holes.
Buttons and decorative nails
The case has an unusual number of decorative nails and buttons. Fortunately most of these decorative trim items came with the clock. Everything you see in the photo above is original save for the upper two floral brass buttons. Years of grime and dirt has been removed from the original decorative buttons, nails and pins.
Crown in place with all three new finials
The clock reflected the Victorian era (1837 to 1901) of showy complicated designs with an emphasis placed on bright and brassy surface decoration
The crown is in position although for the moment it is merely sitting in place. I have added two new decorative nails to the finial bases. Although they are not exactly in the style of the other decorative nails, they are in keeping with the period look of the clock. The two brass buttons on either side of the movement support bracket (above photo) are replacements. The buttons, nails and trim pieces on the top part of the case, are original and cleaned up nicely.
Full view of case
This is a full view of the case with all decorative nails, buttons and trim pieces attached. Below the movement support bracket and on the side columns are two half moon wood pieces (one round decorative pressed wood applique cut in half) that replicate the original detail.
The clock is very garish; some might even call it gaudy. Other clocks I have from this period (1899) are not as pretentious as this one. This look may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it appeals to me. I am sure that it will always be an interesting conversation given its fascinating history. Overall, I would say that the clock accurately reflects the Victorian era (1837 to 1901) with showy complicated designs and an emphasis placed on bright and brassy surface decoration.
Final look with crown attached and movement installed
The above photo shows the case with movement, pendulum, face, brass bezel and hands attached. At this point the clock is about 90% complete. The final steps in this project are securing the door to the frame with hinges purchased from a supplier, attaching the door catches, installing “new” glass, applying a protective top coat finish using Minwax semi gloss wipe-on poly and finding a way to replicate a wood trim insert piece on the left column just above the rectangular brass decorative piece.
Arrow indicating missing trim piece
The clock came without the glass and it obviously must be replaced. I managed to find an old glass window in my area with sufficient “waviness” to replicate the glass at the time. I will have the glass cut and installed by a repair shop locally.
In the final analysis is this a restoration, repair or a replication?
Much of the clock is original; the movement, the pendulum, coil gong and movement bracket as are the bottom base and top part of the case and the crown, the back board, the vertical columns and most of the decorative trim. What has been replaced is the box frame and the front piece that supports the right and left columns. The previous owner used contemporary materials and techniques to reconstruct the frame and front piece. Although not authentic, I have no real objection because much of what he has done is unseen. I have added or will have added some decorative trim pieces, new glass, 3 new finials, hinges and catches, finial bases, used yellow carpenter’s glue where absolutely necessary, stained the case and will remove the rust on the coil gong.
In the final analysis is this a restoration, repair or a replication? Perhaps all three. However, to the casual observer it is an attractive albeit brash, lovingly restored antique Junghans Crispi wall clock that fell off a wall, in Halifax, Nova Scotia on that fateful day, December 6, 1917.
I hope you enjoyed the series and if you have any comments, ideas or suggestions do not hesitate to leave me a message.
This is an antique German Junghans time and strike spring driven clock made in the style of a Vienna Regulator. It came to me as a box of parts. To some a box of clock parts and pieces is discouraging but to me it is a challenge.
Part II of a three part series on my newly acquired Junghans Crispi wall clock.
This is Part II of a three part series on my newly acquired Junghans Crispi wall clock. In Part I described the circumstances by which I came across this clock and it’s incredible story as a survivor of the Halifax Explosion of Dec 6, 1917.
This is a German count-wheel strike typically found in the lower lines of Mauthe, HAC and similar clocks. It is an open plate “bread and butter” movement, not of the highest of quality but well built and reliable. The count wheel is located to the rear between the plates and the mainsprings are enclosed in open barrels. There are no helper springs to worry about and all of the wheels are located in the centre and the upper side of the movement.
As you can see in the next two photos the movement was very dirty and I accepted the risk of running it for a day to see what issues might arise. I gave the pivots holes plenty of oil to mitigate any additional wear. What I found was a sticky hammer assembly that would malfunction intermittently which I attributed to dirt and grime buildup, otherwise the movement ran very well after not having run for 100 years. Imagine all that kinetic energy stored in the springs since 1917.
The movement is relatively easy to re-assemble but I had to install the lower centre wheel, the spring barrels and the centre cannon together with the top plate and then slide the gears in between the plates. Fortunately this process is not as difficult as it sounds but very different than laying the top plate right over the gears as you would in an American movement.
Very dirty movement
Mainspring barrel with years of dirt showing
I gave the pivots holes plenty of oil in the testing phase to mitigate any additional wear
Plates cleaned up well
All the wheels between the plates
I found everything within acceptable limits and decided that bushing work was not required
The accumulated grime of 100+ years came off following the ultrasonic cleaning. In fact I have never seen the ultrasonic solution so dirty. The plates cleaned up very well and I gave them an additional polishing with Brasso. After the parts came out of the ultrasonic I tested the movement for any evidence of excessive play and found everything within acceptable limits and decided that bushing work was not required. The pivot holes were pegged and the pivots were polished.
Springs were inspected, cleaned and oiled
There were no cracks or unusual issues with the mainsprings though I found it curious that they were very clean with no rust. There was also very little lubricant remaining. The springs are somewhat tired as you might expect but I think there is enough power remaining for a full cycle so I decided not to replace them at this point. I applied Keystone mainspring oil to the springs once I returned them to their barrels.
With the movement back together, it is time to adjust the strike side. The strike wheels must be set up correctly with respect to each other ensuring that the third (hammer lifting star wheel) and fourth wheels (the strike cam) align with he count wheel. The warning pin on the last wheel (which actually protrudes from the plate) has to be high enough for sufficient rotation. In order to count the strikes properly this relationship must be right. Unfortunately, I can never get this correct the first time.
The servicing of the movement is not without headaches, however.
The servicing of the movement is not without headaches, however. I bent a pivot on the warning wheel which I managed to successfully straighten out. The hammer arbor paddle was barely touching the star wheel and while trying to adjust it, I accidentally snapped it off along with the retaining spring. Although the clock will go though the strike sequence the gong will obviously not sound. I don’t have the tools to put in a new paddle so I will have to get that attended to somehow. I managed to correctly adjust the strike side but the clock mysteriously stops after about an hour or so. Something is definitely amiss and more investigation is required.
I have had more success with the case restoration that you will read about in Part III. In the meantime I have to constantly remind myself that this movement has not been running in 100 years!
This is what happens when you get a clock in a box. Call it a collection of parts, pieces and dust. This is an antique German Junghans time and strike spring driven clock made in the style of a Vienna Regulator. There is no serial number on the movement, dating the clock to 1899 or earlier (in 1900 Junghans began to number their movements). To some a box of clock pieces is discouraging but to me it is a challenge.
Where to start?
It was advertised on a local online for-sale site as a clock that fell off a wall during the Halifax Explosion and I thought, well, that’s an intriguing story! As most Canadians know, the Halifax Explosion was a significant event in Canada 100 years ago.
On the morning of 6 December 1917 the SS Mont Blanc a French cargo ship laden with high explosives and Benzol collided with the Norwegian vessel SS Imo in the Narrows, a strait connecting the upper Halifax harbour to Bedford Basin. A fire on board the French ship ignited her cargo, causing a large explosion that devastated the Richmond District of Halifax. Approximately 2,000 people were killed by blast, debris, fires and collapsed buildings, and an estimated 9,000 others were injured.
The result was the largest human-made explosion prior to the detonation of the first atomic bombs in 1945. Nearly all structures within an 800-metre (2,600 ft) radius, including the entire community of Richmond, were obliterated. This clock is a witness to that day. In 1918, Halifax sent a Christmas tree to the City of Boston in thanks and remembrance for the help that the Boston Red Cross and the Massachusetts Public Safety Committee provided immediately after the disaster. That tradition carries through to this day.
The case is cleaned up and we are visualizing where the parts go
It appears that the parts have literally sat in a box for the past 100 years.
The blast not only shattered the glass panels but heavily damaged the box frame. It appears that most of the parts have literally sat in a box for the past 100 years. I cannot imagine when the movement last worked, probably ticking its last on that fateful morning in December. Since the box frame was damaged beyond repair following the explosion, the seller, an amateur woodworker, built a new frame made of softwood and oak veneers some 30 years ago. You can see the lighter coloured pieces in the photo below that were never stained and finished. He admits that he knows nothing about clocks and eventually lost interest in the project. I am impressed with his skills since the work on the frame looks solid and well constructed.
Top centre final is missing as well as two other finials
The top centre final is missing, two other finials and some small trim pieces
Why was he letting it go? He said there had been a change in his life and it was time to move on. When I asked him about the history of the clock he said that his wife’s grandparents lived on Princess Place in North End Halifax. Princess Place is further south of the main area of devastation so houses in that area would have sustained heavy structural damage. The clock was blown off the wall by the blast wave. The clock remained in the family all these years, the seller having received it from his wife’s aunt.
I took it home stared at the box for a while trying to decided whether or not I made the right decision. I then set to determine what steps I should take to restore this fine clock. I poked through the box to see what was there and began to itemize the parts, arranging them on the case as best I could and proceeded to clean the case and determine the next steps. I was fortunate to have had someone send me the actual catalog image of the clock which you can see below.
The clock is called the Crispi by Yunghans. Yunghans is a reputable German clock-maker and continues in the watch business to this day. This is what the clock should look like and it will be a excellent guide for restoration. There will be obviously be some subtle differences between my clock and the clock in the catalog when the project is completed but to the casual eye it will look exactly the same.
The Crispi model in the 1902 Junghans catalog
Junghans trademark
Time and count-wheel strike movement
I have ordered the following parts from Timesavers; 3 new finials in the style that best fits the clock, 2 door hinges, 2 door latches and some trim pieces. I will have to build the bases for the finials from scratch. The lower section of an oak spindle will do just fine. There are other trim items that are missing but I will strategically arrange the remaining trim pieces as best I can.
Oak stairway spindle
The best news is that the movement is complete and in working order. The movement ran for a day on a test stand before I stopped it. It needs a very thorough cleaning which will be the next step in this project.
In Part II I will describe cleaning the movement and any issues that may arise as a result of disassembly.
In Part III I will explain the procedures involved in the case restoration once the remaining parts arrive.
Antique and Vintage Mechanical Clocks 
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